When we pray, do we have a grocery list for God as if all He does is wait in Heaven to grant us our wishes? I recently read the following exchange and have received permission to use it:

Kendra: G, please put your backpack stuff away.

G: Well, I have to say, I really don't want to.

Kendra: Well, I don't really want to either. I spent all day cleaning up stuff.

G: Well, Mom, that's kind of your job; you work for me.

This little man thinks he has his household all figured out. And cute as he is, what a reminder for us. God has created us for His purposes and glory. When we give Him our praise, prayers, and problems, He has promised to answer those petitions according to His good will. So, let's unpack our backpacks of worry and anxiety. God will turn those anxious moments into joy. That's His job!

A Mid-Week Message from Rev. Dean

June 3rd - So Much I Wish For Right Now

I have been finding myself saying over and over again this past week the words -I Wish- as I endure another week of COVID-19 and watch the video of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the demonstrations that have followed. Some of the things I have being saying and thinking are:

I wish we were not having to go through this pandemic.

I wish things could just return to normal.

I wish my daughter could have finished her Grade 8 school year and all of the meaningful experiences that come with that.

Last week, I mentioned that it felt like we had begun to experience spring. Well, this week's weather has been a hint of summer. How wonderful it has been to be in the garden, cutting grass, planting flowers, or just observing the beauty around us.

COVID-19 has changed our regular routines, but let us not be discouraged. As Alan Jackson sings In the Garden, we share joy with Jesus as we spend time with Him. That time is precious, particularly in these days of change, chaos and challenges. As you enjoy the variety of colours -greens, reds, yellows, pinks, purples- and see the birds, butterflies and bustling squirrels, walk and talk with God; meditate in prayer and enjoy some quiet time with God in the garden.

A Mid-Week Message from Rev. Dean

May 27th - Trying Things That Do Not Work

People are trying a lot of different things right now during COVID-19 thinking it will work but discovering afterward it did not.

Inmates at a Los Angeles County jail thought that if they drank from the same water bottle and breathed from the same facial mask, they could become infected with COVID-19 and if so, be released from prison. Thirty of these prisoners did come down with COVID-19 but none of them were released from prison. Their plan did not work.

A former US Congressman tried to convince people that the COVID-19 virus was just a hoax and accused the Democrats of using the virus to try and gain power. His claim that all this was a hoax did not work out as his own son who is a U.S. Senator in Washington DC came down with the virus. Read more

For those of you who joined us via YouTube last week for our weekly service, one of the hymns was All Things Bright and Beautiful. When you look at the poetry, everything that has been made has been made by God. After creating flowers, birds, mountains, rivers, the seasons, He gave us eyes to see His handiwork. God gave us lips to tell about His awesomeness.

Well, as we are finishing week 9 of COVID-19, social distancing, self-isolation and school closures have become new ways of life. However, we can sense and feel that spring is returning. Finally something that seems familiar! May we be blessed as we reflect on all things bright and beautiful and know that the One Who created them is still great; cares about us; provides for us and still loves us. Oh, what a wonderful world. Oh, yeah.

A Mid-Week Message from Rev. Dean

May 20th - A Humbling Time

These past eight weeks during our COVID-19 isolation have been humbling for me at times. If anyone asked me at the start of this if I was good at math and answering questions on the Bible I would have responded of course I am. A person like myself who earned a professional accounting degree as well as having a Master of Divinity should be good at answering questions in these areas.

During COVID-19 students like my daughter Coral have had to do their learning online. Several times when she was struggling with a math question, she came to me and sought my help. How hard could it be for me to answer a Grade 8 math question? I have come to discover it is very hard at times. I will look at some questions and realize I have no clue where to begin. Read more

The last Monday prior to the 25th of May is an annual holiday and Canada has observed this day since 1845 to honour the birthday of Queen Victoria.

The Queen herself was a musician. One of the many endearing traits that she and Prince Albert shared was a love of music. Both were pianists and singers, and it is said that the day after Victoria proposed to Albert, he serenaded her with his own compositions, and she sang back. Read more

A Mid-Week Message from Rev. Dean

May 12th - Wanting to Know When

The question that most people are asking right now is WHEN?

When will the restrictions be lifted?

When will my kids be able to get back to school?

When will sports like hockey, basketball and baseball resume?

When can I gather with friends and relatives?

When will restaurants open so I can enjoy a meal out again?

When will I be able to get my hair cut?

When can I get back to work?

When will there be a cure or vaccine?

When will we be able to get back to church?

WHEN? is a common question being asked by so many right now, and we want certain specifics included when it comes to the answer. Read more

A story was told of a man carrying a cup of coffee. As he walked along, someone accidentally collided with him and the coffee was spilled making a colossal mess. When asked why he spilled his coffee his initial reaction was to blame the person who bumped into him. Instead, he said that it was his fault that his coffee was spilled. Read more

A Mid-Week Message from Rev. Dean

May 5th - Peaks and Valleys

It is in late April and early May when ambitious mountain climbers try their best to ascend Mount Everest. Every year around this time I pay attention to the news to see how many people successfully reach the summit, how many fail and how many perish. I have always been interested to read testimonies about their struggles to conquer the highest mountain in the world.

However, Mount Everest is quiet at this moment. No permits were granted to climbers this year. With no activity taking place on the peak of Everest the only activity will be in the valley below. Read more

This musical moment highlights a simple fact. While we were engrossed in COVID-19 the world continued to turn on its axis. There are good stories of paying it forward mixed in with the sadness of disappointment, intolerance and disillusionment. Nova Scotia has been hit hard first with the shooting incident almost two weeks ago and then with the funerals held last week and the beginning of this. Now, our neighbours to the east have been sent another blow. Read more

A Mid-Week Message from Rev. Dean

April 28th - Gardening Tips for the Current Season

With all of us practicing distancing and self isolation at home during these past six weeks I have noticed on some of my walks with Daisy how some of my neighbours are trying to keep busy. In late March and early April, I would often see my neighbours out picking up sticks and branches from their lawns that had come down during the winter. Once that was done, I would see many neighbours get out their rakes and pick up those piles of leaves that had gathered since the fall. Once the leaves were done, I saw them begin to rake the grass in their front lawns. I have to admit that many of my neighbourhood lawns are looking really good at the moment (my lawn is not one of them). Read more

Before our Saviour was crucified, He spent some quality time with His followers. Jesus left this message and His beloved disciple, John, recorded these words in Chapter 15 of his gospel:

I am the true vine, and My Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. Read more

National Hockey League players have had to become very creative with respect to keeping up their training during this COVID-19 pandemic. With rinks closed at this time, hockey players cannot keep in shape by skating or playing scrimmage games with other players. With this form of workout taken away from them NHL players have been coming up with some creative ways to stay in shape. Read more

In 1872 a baby was born, Ina Mae Duley Ogdon and 20 years later she wrote her first hymn, Open Wide the Windows. Years later, in 1912, Brighten the Corner Where You Are was penned. Not much background information was given as to the reasoning for this hymn. Perhaps it was the catastrophe of the sinking of the Titanic. Perhaps the tornado outbreaks in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas that killed many people and destroyed lands and homes. Read more

What is a Christmas or Easter without a rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah. This is one of my favourites with the late Anthony Burger. Not only can we celebrate Christ's resurrection this weekend, but He reigns forever and ever. Blessings to our congregation and all who may share in these musical moments of Easter this weekend.

A Message from Rev. Dean

April 10th - With All These Deaths

As of 6:20 p.m. on Tuesday, April 7, 2020, a total of 381 people in Canada had died as a result of COVID-19. As of Wednesday, April 8, 2020, I found out I knew one of these 381 people. Her first name was Linda and she was a parishioner at the Presbyterian Church in Petrolia where I ministered from 2001-2007.

It is hard to be upbeat and positive with all the death we are bombarded with each day during this pandemic. Normally we do not want to focus on death in order to lift our spirits during times like this. There is one death we do want to focus on this week and in the days and weeks to come which is JESUS DEATH ON THE CROSS. Read more

Week 4 of Covid-19. Hmm. What kind of a week has it been for you? I feel like I'm on an emotional roller coaster.I prepare my work-to-do-list the evening before, and then comes the morning. Computer glitches; electronic files are not where I expect them to be; audio systems don't work so I can't answer calls. So, then I think I'll just run out to the store and get the pet's food. Oh, but I didn't call ahead, so now I have to place the order online for curbside pick up. And let's not even talk about getting the few groceries I need. Read more

A Message from Rev. Dean

April 3rd - Turn Those Worries Into Prayers

One of the realities for us as we continue through this COVID-19 pandemic is that we will find ourselves having more moments of feeling anxiety than we may have ever had before. There are so many things with our current reality that will trigger these anxious feelings within us. Read more

Verse 1 of 'Til the Storm Passes By speaks of the crashing of thunder and howling storms. Weather and physical events.

In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face
While the storm howls above me, and there's no hiding place;
'Mid the crash of the thunder, Precious Lord, hear my cry!
Keep me safe till the storm passes by. Read More

A Message from Rev. Dean

March 26th- When This is Over

It is astonishing to think how much our life has changed over these past ten or more days:

- Schools are closed

- Restaurants can only do take-outs

- Shortages of items at the grocery stores

- Cancellations of sports

- The need to do social distancing

- The closing of our borders to non-essential travel

- People returning from trips isolating themselves at home

- The temporary closing of our churches and so many other changes. Read more

I'm now solely working from home; there's not going to be any reason to move into our new offices in the fall as my division is now mostly telecommuting or at least working remotely.

This week has not been without its stresses, challenges and moments of frustration and then I remember we are in the season of Lent. Read more

A Message from Rev. Dean

March 19th- We Shall Overcome

There is a hymn book called Praise Ways that I had a copy of at home but had misplaced. I knew it would turn up eventually and yesterday, as Nadine did a thorough cleaning of our room, she pulled out our magazine bin. Sure enough, in the bin was the missing Praise Ways. When I opened the book to the first page, I came to the song We Shall Overcome. I began reading the words to the song and I thought to myself how fitting for these days and times. Read more

As we are in the midst of this world-wide pandemic, we are struggling to find peace, to find answers, to get home from international travel, to work, to go to school. I just came home from an appointment and the staff is going to be laid off indefinitely. Read more